Metallic post for wire fences



(No Model.)

T. J. SMITH.

METALLIC POST FOR WIRE FENCES.

Patented Oct. 17, 1882.

[71 wanton TINITED STATES PAT NT Oriana.

TRUE J. SMITH, or TOPEKA, Kansas.

METALLIC POST FOR WIRE FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,989, dated October 17, 1882.

' Application filed November 15, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TRUE J. SMi'rH, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Topeka, county of Shawnee, and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Metallic Fence-Post, specially for Wire Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metallic fence-posts, specially for wire fences, and secures a maximum of resistance and durability to the fence at a minimum of material and cost. I attain this end by the construction and combination illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents one of my fence-posts complete and in position in the ground. Fig. 2 represents the post without the coupling-bar and clamp or claw nail. Fig. 3 presents a plan of the coupling-bar, and Fig. 4 shows the clamp or claw nail in plan and in lateral view.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a metallic rod or tube of any desired size to afford due strength, preferably of gas-pipe of from one-half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, pipe measure, and of any desired length, but ordinarily eleven or twelve fcet,bentinto the form of an elongated letter V inverted, forming the body of the post.

The arms or legs B may be of equal or of noequal lengths,and may be made to rest in sockets prepared in the coupling-bar D, or, preferably, should pass through the holes 0 and project from twelve to eighteen inches below it, being secured in place by metallic wedges or horseshoe-nails c. The ends of the legs should be pointed by obliquely cuttingvaway the material from the under side of each for a distance of about two inches. The openings in the ends of the legs may be closed or plugged with any material impervious to moisture; or, to subserve the same purpose, the'legs should be dipped into a preparation of asphaltuni, so as to cover their inner surfaces at least so far as they are to be covered with earth when in position. The whole of the outer surface of the body of the post, as also of the couplingbar and clamp or claw nail, should be covered with this asphalt preparation.

The coupling-bar 1) consists of a flat bar of metal of about two or three inches in width by one-quarter or a half inch in thickness and from eighteen to twenty inches long, pierced with holes 0 at from two to four inches from its ends to permit the passage of the legs B of the body of the post. This coupling-bar should be bent at the center, or so curved that when it is in place its upper side facing the top of the post will be concave and its under side convex. To give additional strength to this coupling-barit may receive oneentire twist between the holes 0, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The clamp or claw nail H, as indicated in Fig. 4,is constructed of a short rod of wroughtiron bent into the form of the letter U, with its two arms keeled somewhat backward and pointed at the ends by obliquelycutting away from their outer parts. The opening of the clamp or claw nail should be of such width as will permit thearms,when in position, closely to hug the leg of the post to'which it is applied. The arms should be of suiiicient length, so that whentheclamp orclaw nailisin place, unkeyed, it willjust receive between its backward-keeled points and the leg of the post the board or rail which it is to support and secure to the post. This itwill do when itis keyed to the leg at the bend of the U by metallic wedges or nails, since the points will pierce the board or rail, acting like nails, while the backward-keeled ends of the arms furnish a shoulder against which to key the clamp or claw nail and board or rail securely to its place on the post. Each board or rail should be secured to each post by two of these clamps or claw nails, one applied underneath the board or rail, as already described, and the other at the upper edge of the board or rail, as seen in Fig. 1. The lower clamp or claw nail should be keyed from its upper and the upper clamp or claw nail from its under side to aid in giving proper leverage to the arms and their backward-heeled ends. The

successive boards or rails are united at the ICO bring to a perpendicular the leg which is to carry the wire. The coupling-bar should then be properly keyed and the earth replaced and, thoroughly tamped about the legs and coupling-bar. Now, when the post is planted, the board or rail secured in place, as hereinbefore directed, and the wire attached by-any of the methods hitherto employed,it will be seen that the coupling-bar maintains the determined spread and the stability of the legs of each post as against downward or lateral pressure,while the resultant action of the post complete secures-the most effectual resistance to lateral pressure against either side of the fence. Were the coupling-bar cut in two crosswise and the post then properly set and planted, a similar though less efficient result would be secured. The board or rail not only imparts additional firmness to the fence, but at the same time affords timely notice when stock are approaching it. Material resistance to lengthwise pressure against the fence is secured by planting an additional post at proper intervals and claspe assess ing its perpendicular leg to the" post already planted for the wires, the two-posts standing at right angles to each other. This same arran gement provides a substantial and permanent corner-post.- Y

I claim as my ifiy'erit'ion and desire to secure by Letters Patent: I I

The metallic fence-post A, in the form of an inverted V, in combination with the under ground coupling-bar G, with its-ends bent u'p= ward from or near its center, to provide a firm footing for the legs of the post that will oppose the maximum of resistance to lateral pressure against the fence, the post A being combined with the coupling-bar G by passing its legs B through the holes 0 of the bar and keying them in place with a small metallic wedge or horse shoe-nail.

TRUE J. SMITIL Vito esses:

J. LEE KNIGHT, S. L. KNIGHT, 

